Simple Simon’s has made a joyful return to Warren! On Monday, January 6, they hosted a preview night. From 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., everyone who went through the drive-through received a free large pepperoni pizza and calzone. Before the event started, cars waited in line to receive what they knew was going to be very good. Warren Police Department was on site to help direct traffic, prevent accidents, and keep things organized. Inside, the work environment was pleasant and the crew was busy making pizzas, and calzones, and learning how to run the restaurant smoothly.
When I walked in, I was greeted by General Manager April Bradley and Cooperate Support Representative James Cook. Both had smiles and wanted to help me. Owners Gayla and Charles McWhorter worked alongside their crew as customers flowed smoothly through the drive-through. Gayla could be heard chatting and laughing with excited guests as she handed them their food. When I looked back through the kitchen window, I saw employees busy working.
Because Gayla was helping her guests, I spoke with Bradley and Cook first.
“We are open from 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Monday-Thursday,” said Bradley. “Then on Friday and Saturday, we are open from 11 a.m.-10 p.m.”
Bradley also added that while there is no delivery option at the moment, Simple Simon’s will be adding it.
“We want to get our feet under us first,” added Cook.
Bradley said that there is going to be a salad bar and a few tables for dining in. Cook said he looks for more call-in business than dine-in.
The McWhorters also offer online ordering which that wasn’t available before.
“You can order on the app and acquire loyalty points,” said Bradley. “On your birthday, you can get a free apple cinnamon pizza. After you’ve been a customer for a year, you can get a free large pizza.”
With the return of Simple Simon’s comes the return of their original calzone, which they’re known for.
“The original Calzone is Alpine Sauce, mozzarella, pepperoni, and sausage,” said Cook. “That’s our signature item. We also have pizza, wings, the Pizzadilla, sandwiches, and Stromboli.”
Everything that Simple Simon’s sells is fresh and made-to-order.
“Fresh is best,” said Cook.
When asked how many pizzas they expected to give out during the preview event, Cook thought for a quick second.
“Historically, we’ve given away 150-160 pizzas,” explained Cook. “I had the drone out earlier, and the traffic was lined all the way to City Park. We’re really excited to be back and Warren is a really good market. It’s been really well received.”
Simple Simon’s is a Tulsa-based company with stores in Oklahoma, Texas, Missouri, and Arkansas, giving the franchise a total of 235 locations.
When Gayla saw a small break, she made her way over to chat with me and explain why they wanted to bring Simple Simon’s back to Warren.
“We’ve always been fans of the franchise,” said McWhorter. “There were several Simple Simon’s in Southwest Arkansas where we’re from. We believed in the product and in the franchise. We had this lot, and we knew we wanted to invest back in Warren and in Bradley County because this is home now. And we thought, ‘Why not?’. We saw a need, and we wanted to put back into the community because we do believe in the food and the product.”
I personally cannot wait to order pizza from Simple Simon’s. Warren will be a better place to eat because of the delicious and fresh menu options that they offer. Welcome back!
